by Krishna Rose
Take it then as truth, that even without medicine, the most troublesome of diseases can be cured. Even a disease which is assumed to be incurable can be cured. Nay, it could be cured in an instant, so that no trace of the disease would be left behind—as if the disease never existed to begin with! Just as those who seek worldly pleasure, can be blessed in a moment by obtaining the Lord’s mercy.
Therefore sincere seekers of the Grail, pray with a sincere heart, ‘My Lord, if You like to see me wretched and if You feel delighted in keeping me unhappy, if You appear before me and I disregard You unknowingly, or if You experience happiness in keeping me here in this world in a lonely condition—then go on fulfilling Your desire. In truth, your happiness is all that I seek. I am filled with pride and laziness, weakened by my desires. I do not know how these things arose in me, for I am innocent of heart, but I heard of a way to eradicate my problems with spiritual practice, yet find myself too distracted to implement them. I do not know the cause of such weakness. Therefore, O ocean of limitless compassion, please look upon me and heal me. Remove from me these defects which prevent me from being with You. You and You alone have full ownership over me. I belong to You. Keep me as it pleases You.’
CHAPTER 30
LIBERATION
Liberation is the act of setting someone free from imprisonment.
Whenever the beast known as Tarasque appeared in the town of Nerluc, it brought with it terror. Destroying houses by its breath which was said to have fiery flames, many heroes of the region tried to capture and kill it . . . yet none lived to tell the tale. The locals feared its wrath and children were warned not to play by the water—for when the dragon-like beast hungered, it came up from the watery depths to feast on human flesh.
Tarasque was as ancient as the sun. Many generations of men had written accounts of the giant sea serpent, describing the beast as having six legs, a head like that of a lion, a large scaled tail, a body as thick as ten tree trunks and teeth sharp as swords. Tarasque hid within the murky waters of the Rhone River, where it liked to submerge boats and partake of its crews.
After seven years of ravaging the locals, a farmer found the skin of the dragon and thought it dead. For a time, the locals celebrated their newfound sense of security. However, what people weren’t aware of, was that every seven years the sea serpent cast off its skin—as all serpents do. Again Tarasque came forth to banquet at the expense of others’ lives, for human blood and flesh was to its taste.
The beast destroyed the local bridges and devoured any person daring to cross the river. One day the inhabitants of the troubled area attempted to lure the dragon into a trap with the bodies of slain animals tied to trees lining the river’s edge. The beast followed the scent, yet when it approached the trap it shrewdly turned and slunk back into the river.
The King of Nerluc sent his best Knights with catapults and spears to slay the beast and all the local townspeople came to witness, with distress, their failed attempt. The King was devastated and came humbly to ask our family for help, believing that perhaps a Lord’s miracle was what was needed—for all else had surely failed.
One day whilst Martha tended the sick, she spoke of the miracles she had seen Jesu perform, for she bore witness to her own brother being raised from the dead. The crowds were skeptical for they had never seen a miracle, so they asked her to slay the dragon who had been feasting on their kith and kin—to prove her God’s existence. Martha unexpectedly agreed to take up the challenge, with a promise that the villagers would take to the spiritual path if she proved successful. The people certainly did not expect to ever see poor Martha again, therefore, they agreed to her pledge.
Martha and I discussed the situation. I tried to dissuade her from it, but she was determined, and one day, she bravely set out to catch the infamous beast. Barefoot, wearing nothing but a white dress, holding no weapon other than a jar of holy water in her hand and a belt and leash by which she intended to capture the beast, she went forth confidently.
Once arriving at the bank of the river, Martha called the elusive serpent with her angelic hymns. Her voice rang out over the town of Nerluc and many watched from a safe distance as the dragon, sure enough, came out of the water with the intention of devouring the songstress who dared tempt it to shore. However, as it came upon my sister, who was sitting calmly with her eyes closed in faithful prayer, Martha at once hurled holy water upon the beast, afterwards requesting it to be at ease. Very peacefully she asked Tarasque to sit with her—like she was greeting an old friend.
The serpent was miraculously pacified, bowing its head in submission before her. Martha fearlessly climbed upon the beast’s stocky scaled leg and with a soothing voice blessed it. Tying the dragon with her belt, she led the tamed beast through the streets rejoicing in the Lord’s grace and mercy.
The people screamed when they saw Tarasque approaching. Terrified, they began attacking the beast with swords and stones, despite Martha’s pleas for charity. The monster offered no resistance, and much to Martha’s dismay, it died there on the street before the jubilant crowds.
I was in the village helping a sickly child when I heard them celebrating. And as I came upon them, I saw Martha with the dragon, who like a docile dog, lay bleeding to death before her. Martha was stunned at this violent outburst of the people, and she wept bitter tears of compassion, begging Tarasque to forgive them.
Once they had buried the beast in the ground triumphantly, Martha sat before them and taught them our ways. The following morning, as the sun rose above the river where all the children could now safely play, the town came forth to be baptized. Repentant for what they had done, the Mayor renamed the town of Nerluc, to Tarascon, in memory of Martha’s miracle and subsequent spiritual transformation of its people.
Each year thereafter, a festival was held, re-telling the tale of Martha’s victory over a great evil, proving how even the most dark of living things could be pacified with faith and kindness. The Lord had given Martha a miracle to perform as a means of bringing faith unto the people of Gallia. My sister was famed as the heroine of this region, having achieved what all the King’s men and all the King’s horses could not.
The masses, have, since the beginning of time, been impressed by magic, miracles, and outer guarantees of God’s power. People want and expect a fantastic display, as living proof, before they are willing to submit themselves faithfully to the Lord, despite the daily miracles which are to be seen everywhere, at every second.
“I want for nothing!” I roared breathlessly. “I have shed the thousand skins which you fickle men in the marketplace blanketed me with. Your feeble attempts to deflate me . . . have come to nothing,” I proclaimed from that deep place within, wherein I had stored my frustration for so long.
“I am stronger for it, you fools! You had hoped that by your fabrications in my name, you would tame me. Rather, you have proved yourselves to be the means which hath brought about my freedom from bondage. Though you made me bleed, I am healthier for it. Now my blood and the blood of my husband baptizes you all, and I swear, I would tolerate a thousand more lies said in my name if it meant I, and others, could be one step closer to eternal freedom! Therefore, I hereby release myself from the locks and chains you once shackled me with. I also free you and command that you be gone from us forever!” I exclaimed with a newfound authority to my voice.
“Every person who is twice born, is born again among the godly. I am no longer that submissive woman who craved approval. I am a Woman in Red—and now, I claim my title alongside my husband for the betterment of others. The gifts of worldly judgement have filled me with the strength of spirit. Now my name shall stand the test of time and go on to be a conduit for women all over the world to rise up. They shall awaken, from their unhappy drudgery, unto the resounding sound of angels’ trumpets!” I said assur
edly, the air as my only witness. “We will not be silenced!”
Inside my dark, cold cave, I was a woman reborn.
I had spent a life in celebration of marriages and births. I became a grandmother, and I have grieved the loss of loved ones. I wished no longer to give of myself, but rather to give—to myself. Within the caves, I would become that which was ordained for me in the stars, to face the tempestuous course of stormy waters, my sails set upon eternal shores. My ship will house all those wishing to journey forth—from where we shall never return.
Not one light came from the villages below, not even one candle was lit. The moon was in its dark phase, and no stars could be seen in the sky. Never before had I felt this alone. I was on a precipice between life and death, like a drop of rain on the edge of a leaf. At any second I could fall and my life would end. All that I had known would be gone from me in but a moment. I knew this with a certainty, for such is the way of the world. This body would soon pass from me, just as the tide parts the sea, for nothing here has any permanence, and this truth is as real as a tree feels the bark it wears.
The clouds parted and a mysterious light shone into my grotto which was deep-set, nestled into the hills. I gazed at this miracle, for a ray of hope seemed to be dawning, not just for me, but for all humankind.
My dwelling held warmly in the winter and isolated me from the strong heat of summer. Furnishing it simply, I made a bed of straw and hay, with a mixture of leaves and pine needles to make the insects flee. I kept with me only the simple necessities of life—a tumbler, a pot, one dish, and a small plate and knife by which to eat. Having journeyed hard for many years, it was deeply beneficial for me to demonstratively pause without distraction. I had craved silence and solitude for so long, and now, I had nothing but the Lord for company to keep. Having lived my life fully, I entered the quiet inner-worlds, knowing full well that I had done as God willed.
Over time, I became familiar with the caves embedded inside the limestone hillsides. Their natural caverns and passageways created extensive subterranean worlds, many of which extended for miles within the hidden parts of middle earth. They provided me a safe, still place to live, away from the bustle of life. In fact, I was so at ease in these underground regions, that I often walked without use of a lantern, developing a kind of inner clairvoyance which gave me sight even in the absence of light. Attuned to the energy which flows through all living things, I was free to roam and sleep where I willed, nestled in the womb of the natural world, sustained by the sanctuary of earth’s generosity.
Hypnotic beats of water trickled down the caves interior walls, collecting pools at their base. These were my bathing pools, and though the waters were icy-cold, they filled me with a power such that I was piercingly alert in meditation. Heavenly voices, like a sweet serenade, echoed through the grotto’s halls. At first I was alarmed, but soon I accepted it as part of the supernatural occurrence meant for my own betterment. Their reassuring hymns becalmed me into chasms of hypnotic states, where I reveled in the creation peacefully.
Since earliest times, humans performed ritual awakenings by entering the earth’s dark caves and tombs as a way to ‘die’ to their old self-seeking ways. The death process is a glorious thing. Even the caterpillar feigns it, not knowing whether its soul shall leave the body, only to be reborn as a more beautiful thing than before.
Be not afraid of dying,
For it is in dying that we are reborn;
Listen to the voice of silence,
Enter into the stillness,
Know and travel the landscape within,
So that fear shall forever be gone from you.
There is a true sense of peace when distractions are removed from us. Depravation of the senses from their persistent seeking, is the most tangible way to experience the truth of who we are. And though the pleasures of this world may tempt us, they cannot satisfy. For behind the smiles and possessions, all suffer quietly in the lonely cavern of emptiness. Therefore, let not one person go away from you as they came. Know what they seek and greet them on the holy ground of your understanding.
Our oversight is in believing the things of this world have power to bring us lasting happiness. And even though friends often turn to enemies, and love is all too soon lost, for loss inevitably follows gain, still we entrench ourselves in temporal things, while the things of eternity remain a mystery to us.
We do not understand that the objects of this world are like a fierce poison. The more we drink of it, the more we are enslaved. Our thirst ever increases and is never quenched. The state of craving, is such, that the more we taste, the more our hunger increases. And in a hefty, yet futile effort, like trying to catch smoke with our bare hands, we labor hard to satisfy what cannot be filled. Not by any means.
If a little infatuation pervades your mind, you lust over satisfying its hankering without any reduction of the emptiness within, until, you are hell-bent upon satisfying desires which destroy your life. This can be compared to a dog, who licks a dry piece of bone, while no blood or flesh is there. Foolishly it relishes only the taste of the blood oozing from its own gums, considering that to be enjoyment.
A golden platter of delicious sweets is laid out before you, but you alone must feed yourself. Unaided, you must put the morsels in your mouth by your own hand. Or do you believe that the Master has not only to provide the food, but also to feed you? Such is our apathy.
We waste valuable time making up stories and excuses, while it is only we who achieve nothing substantial. Therefore oh loving soul, even if you are concentrated upon your life, consumed, exhausted, enthralled or lost—do what has been recommended, that the objects of thy misery shall leave you forever. The Master hath planted in your ears, the seeds of the Kingdom. Water that seed, that its roots may deposit deep into the soil of your heart. In a short time, the seed will certainly sprout and upon sprouting, it shall surely grow to become a tree with blooming flowers and sweet-smelling fruits which will adorn its many strong branches, to offer thee nourishment.
As your outward illusions perish and disappear, you will relish such great happiness in the ceaseless joy of the transcendent Kingdom within, which brings to thee an ocean of contentment. No-where in the innumerable universes shall you find such pleasure and cheer as tall and as great as this. Therefore, please store in your heart, the Master’s instructions, for one can never estimate the degree of loss to one’s life, if one is unable to hear. Those ears which have heard from the Master, shall one day see the body of the Lord, and there is no need of evidence of that which can be experienced directly.
A farmer plants his seeds when he is tilling the land with his plough. The plough is pulled by the oxen and the seeds fall into the trenches and bury in the soil. Within five or six days, the seeds swell due to the mercy of water and light, and after about three months, plants grow to great heights and the ears of corn grow there on top.
Upon seeing this miracle of life, the farmer experiences boundless joy and begins to dance. However, the seeds which fell on the side, did not sprout, for they were covered with neither soil, nor dampness. Fallen outside of the trench, exposed, the ants and birds devour them. That same destiny awaits those who take not the name of the Lord daily unto themselves.
The unheard directives of the Master, disperse, and although they are never destroyed—neither do they give the fruit of eternal love if they are not cherished and upheld. We shall not cross over the ocean of nescience, of birth and of death, without God’s name rolling upon our tongue, uttered out of great love and yearning. Just as, when we wish to rebuke someone, we chastise them out loud—for only then do those invectives agitate the heart by entering through the ears, causing a great anger to rise up in them—making the scolded person fly into a temper.
Now think deeply with your brain, whi
ch the Lord hath gifted thee, how one sentence spoken out of turn, wreaked so much havoc, and imagine now, how the name of the Lord, which is holy, has potency to do the impossible—for He and His names are eternally invested. Words may be used to give a piece of one’s mind, or to pass blame upon another—meting out judgement. More so, words have power to entreaty our Creator to come down like a bolt from the sky, by your invocation of His name, which is holy. Therefore, in prayer, give thanks, and petition for the generosity of His mercy.
Be as heavenly angels. Utter your prayers loudly that they may enter your ears, and more so, the hearts of all. So much so, that whosoever shall hear from you, may easily cross the ocean of difficulty. Like crossing the water accumulated in the hoofprint of a cow.
For this very reason, fellow traveler, wayfarer on the path of eternity, please pay heed. Hanker for the Kingdom from within the core of thy honest heart, with determined, unflinching assurance that what has been spoken of here, is true.
Prior to Jesu’s crucifixion, we had called a supper together with our brethren. It was a memory I would forever keep engraved within the caverns of my mind. The candles had burned so bright that night, like a million suns. The bread lay broken and juice of pomegranate spilled—a premonition of what was to come.
“Weep not for me. I’m alive in the eyes of all of life,” he said, as he whispered his last goodbyes. Yet without the light of the son, a deep shadow was cast, and the untruthfulness of our lives parted in the air. Paradise shivered the day he died. A river was born, the way we cried. It was a day I would return to, life after life, for the pain of it was etched so deeply upon the canvas of my spirit.